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SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Sarah Palin would have a ready base of hardcore fans in Iowa if the former Alaskan governor chose to run for president.
More than 500 people waited in the bitter cold or stood in long lines for hours Sunday to chat a few seconds with the former vice presidential candidate.
Most appeared to come from Iowa, but there also was a large contingent of Nebraskans.
A few camped in tents outside the store the night before, eager to be first in line.
Many said they came to show their support for a woman they believe has been badly maligned by the national media and political pundits.
"We see her as our spokesman, as a mom and as a working mom. And, part of the ugliness directed at her is what motivates us to get out and support her," said Jennie Klatt, 38, of Spencer, Iowa.
Palin came to Iowa as part of a national book-signing tour to promote her best-selling memoir, "Going Rogue." It was her first visit to Iowa since last year's presidential campaign when she ran on the GOP ticket with John McCain.
Her appearance was carefully controlled. She took no questions from reporters, and the people waiting in line were told not to take pictures.
She signed the books from behind a black curtain. Her father, Charles Heath, greeted the people before they were allowed to enter her space.
"She's signing them as fast as she can' said Anne Sexton, a "conservative" from Des Moines.
Todd Sargeant, 22, drove 12 hours from his home in Lebanon, Ohio, to get a few seconds with Palin.
Sargeant was one of about 50 people who camped out in front of the bookstore the night before, huddled around a butane heater.
"It ended up being worth it," said Sargeant. "She's an inspiration to me. She's just real."
Her only public comments came as she waved to a crowd, before she swiftly entered the bookstore.
"Hey! Thank you guys very much. See you indoors," said Palin, who was wearing knee-high purple boots and a black coat.
Palin's trip into Iowa could hardly be considered a coincidence. The state is a key player in the presidential election, holding the nation's first caucus.
If she decides to run, she will likely have a "ready base" in Iowa, said Dennis Goldford, a political scientist at Drake University.
She also would have to "step out of the cocoon" that currently envelopes her, and engage in retailing campaign to broaden her base among Iowans, said Goldford.
But, her political future is still a big "if," said Goldford.
"What's she is doing is watering and fertilizing the field. Whether or not she decides to plant something is not known," said Goldford.
Palin's supporters believe she stands a chance to win over skeptics over the next three years.
"When she gets a chance to come down to the Lower 48 and explain herself, they'll understand," said Beth Peschel, of Osmond, Nebraska.
Karla Meadows of Cherokee, Iowa, said she believes part of Palin's problems resulted from her being a woman. She also said she believes Americans now are ready to embrace a female president.
"I think she's devisive because no one was ready for the woman thing," said Meadows, a 51-year-old Republican.
Several said Palin represented the "common people," and that she was a true Washington "outsider."
"I feel when she's talking to us she's real," said Jean Ersch, a "conservative" from Lincoln, Nebraska.
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